1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to an apparatus and method for enhanced thermal management for improved module reliability.
2. Background of the Invention
As computer and other electronic systems have increased performance over time, the power consumed to enable the performance has increased dramatically. Up until recently power management has mostly been a reliability issue associated with the max temperatures components or subassemblies may experience. However, a system behavior which requires significant power during periods of high production, but requires very little power consumption during idle or low production periods, will tend to experience large variations in temperature depending upon the nature of the thermal cooling paths and the work load demands on the system. These temperature variations may cause failures due to mechanical stress and strain induced fatigue for structures that are composed of materials with varying coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE). Too many temperature cycles of too high a magnitude or too low of magnitude may result in such failures.